What Are You Doing Here By Dr. Edmundson Summary
Arthur Tuggle III
Professor Sepesy
English 101
22 February 2017
Who Are You and What Are You Doing Here
This essay provides an alternative view point to commonly held belief: that one must go to college solely to receive a diploma and find a good job. The viewpoint that this essay expresses is that rather than using “university education” for “a means to an end” (172) with the “end” being a good job, students should instead focus on receiving a meaningful education that will help them define themselves and later allow them to receive a fulfilling job. Dr. Edmundson, the author of this piece, is currently employed by the University of Virginia as an English professor.
Dr. Edmundson targets this essay towards incoming college freshman, hence the essay tends to be of relation to a younger audience. The author writes this essay to advocate that one should live a life of self-fulfillment, a life of following one own’s passion, even if it may not be the highest paying or the easiest to accomplish. Starting off with a personal anecdote of a conversation between the author and his father, Edmundson describes a period in his life in which he was going to “go along” (178) with the usual college perspective, but then changed his mind with the guidance of his father. In the …show more content…
article, the author starts by telling his father that in college he would like to study prelaw because lawyers are paid well.
Furiously frowning at this decision, Edmundson’s father tells the author that he should not study something he doesn’t like, but rather he should follow his
passion. Edmundson continues the essay talking about how unfulfilling the standard college lifestyle is if one doesn’t challenge it by embarking on one’s own journey. For this, the author says even though “You’ll get a good job, you’ll have plenty of friends, you’ll have a driveway of your own.” (178), there is a risk of becoming someone who you are not “which, in the long run, is killing.” (178). Lastly, to end the essay, Edmundson mentions a example in the second person in which he describes that though your family may be happy with you as a doctor, teaching is what your heart really desires and although you may have financial issues, you will live a fulfilling life. I feel that the author has surely achieved his purpose with his use of rhetorical devices. Throughout this piece, I found his use of personal situations used to not only support his claim, but also to break down any opposing claims to be extremely beneficial in achieving his purpose.
Professor Sepesy
English 101
22 February 2017
Who Are You and What Are You Doing Here
This essay provides an alternative view point to commonly held belief: that one must go to college solely to receive a diploma and find a good job. The viewpoint that this essay expresses is that rather than using “university education” for “a means to an end” (172) with the “end” being a good job, students should instead focus on receiving a meaningful education that will help them define themselves and later allow them to receive a fulfilling job. Dr. Edmundson, the author of this piece, is currently employed by the University of Virginia as an English professor.
Dr. Edmundson targets this essay towards incoming college freshman, hence the essay tends to be of relation to a younger audience. The author writes this essay to advocate that one should live a life of self-fulfillment, a life of following one own’s passion, even if it may not be the highest paying or the easiest to accomplish. Starting off with a personal anecdote of a conversation between the author and his father, Edmundson describes a period in his life in which he was going to “go along” (178) with the usual college perspective, but then changed his mind with the guidance of his father. In the …show more content…
article, the author starts by telling his father that in college he would like to study prelaw because lawyers are paid well.
Furiously frowning at this decision, Edmundson’s father tells the author that he should not study something he doesn’t like, but rather he should follow his
passion. Edmundson continues the essay talking about how unfulfilling the standard college lifestyle is if one doesn’t challenge it by embarking on one’s own journey. For this, the author says even though “You’ll get a good job, you’ll have plenty of friends, you’ll have a driveway of your own.” (178), there is a risk of becoming someone who you are not “which, in the long run, is killing.” (178). Lastly, to end the essay, Edmundson mentions a example in the second person in which he describes that though your family may be happy with you as a doctor, teaching is what your heart really desires and although you may have financial issues, you will live a fulfilling life. I feel that the author has surely achieved his purpose with his use of rhetorical devices. Throughout this piece, I found his use of personal situations used to not only support his claim, but also to break down any opposing claims to be extremely beneficial in achieving his purpose.